Baby
by daxy
Summary: Horatio reflects on life as he and Natalia await the birth of their child. Horatio/Natalia pairing.


_**Summary: Horatio reflects on life as he and Natalia await the birth of their child. Horatio/Natalia pairing**_ **.**

 **Author's note: Second story based on one word, in this case the word "baby".**

 **In this story Kyle does not exist and it takes place sometime just after season 10. And the story-line with Randy North and Toller and when Horatio got shot is a little bit changed.**

 **-I-**

Fear. That was the first feeling that had registered in Horatio's mind when his wife of three years had told him that she was pregnant with their child.

Fear of being a good father. Fear of being a good husband to his pregnant wife. Fear that something would happen to the child. His own father had been hadn't exactly been a role-model and his childhood had been tough. What if he wasn't able to provide a good and stable upbringing for his child?

Of course, his fears had quickly been replaced by joy and pride. He was finally going to be a dad! After years of waiting the moment had come and he couldn't have been happier. He remembered so clearly that day when Natalia had told him. She had been beaming with joy and had handed him a positive pregnancy test. He had gone pale and his heart had threatened to beat itself out of his chest. His wife, always so understanding, made it clear that he had nothing to fear. Their child would be fine. The first two months after finding out about the baby Horatio had treated Natalia like she was made out of glass. Finally his dear wife had had enough and told him to stop worrying. Nothing was going to go wrong. It took some time but Horatio relaxed in the end.

As Horatio now lay in bed with Natalia he couldn't help but stroke her belly. Just one month left and then their new life would begin. He felt the baby kick and placed a kiss on the belly. Natalia was sleeping soundly and Horatio hoped she would be able to sleep through the night, but he knew how difficult it was to do so for her this late in the pregnancy. The baby kicked again and Horatio smiled.

"Hey there, don't wake mommy." He whispered.

They didn't know if they were having a boy or a girl. It didn't matter anyway. Horatio snuggled closer to his wife and kissed her cheek. Natalia stirred, but didn't wake up.

"I love you." Horatio whispered in her ear.

It had been his brother-in-law Eric's idea to ask Natalia out four years ago. Just two years after his beloved Marisol had died. apparently his team and the Delko family had pretty much planned an intervention with him to get him to accept his wife's death and find love again. They hated seeing him sad and lonely. Of course Horatio had gone to Marisol's grave and asked for her blessing. He felt in his heart that she had given it to him.

Natalia had long been in-love with her boss and had happily agreed on a date. Horatio had been so nervous that he hadn't eaten all day. Their first date went fantastic and so did the second and the third and so on. Pretty soon they were a couple and one year after their first date they were husband and wife.

They had shared much in life. Both had comforted each other after the death of their friend Jesse. It had been a hard few months after that and the team had been a bit rumbled. But they found their way back to the way they had been and became closer as a family.

Last year Horatio and Natalia had almost died because of Randy North. They had made it and had it not been for his strong-willed wife Horatio would have checked himself out of the hospital in search for Toller and North. Which probably could have killed him. Horatio had held Natalia as she suffered nightmares of drowning in the trunk of Randy's car and Natalia had in turn helped Horatio through nightmares with visions of Natalia dying.

It was after they had recovered from that experience that they had started trying for a baby and Natalia had quickly become pregnant. And both knew that they would definitely have more than one child.

It was a happy time for everyone in the team. Doctor Loman was seeing someone, Calleigh, now working part-time, had adopted North's children and they were the most adorable children. It was pretty clear that Eric and Calleigh were starting to find their way back to each other as well and who knew what would happen with that.

And after refusing for years Horatio had finally accepted the promotion to Captain. The lab was going through a little re-organization and a Captain was needed for everything that had to do with management. It would mean no time on the field and little time in the lab, but Horatio felt it would be better for his family if he wasn't in the line of fire anymore. Natalia had changed her job to working only in the lab again as she too felt it would be safer. The new Lieutenant in the lab, working just under Horatio, was Eric.

Everything was going smooth and the team was stronger than ever.

"Horatio?"

Horatio was pulled from his trip down memory lane and smiled at Natalia.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Can you please just rub my back for while? It's killing me." Natalia said sleepily.

"Anything for you."' Horatio smiled and kissed her.

Natalia sat up and Horatio climbed behind her, leaning against the headrest. Horatio worked her back with his magic hands. All this time the baby kept kicking and both parents-to-be chuckled when the outline of a foot could be seen.

"Horatio?"

"Yes?"

"Think I will be a good mother?"

"I _know_ that you will be an amazing mother, sweetheart." Horatio said and kissed her neck.

Natalia sighed happily and leaned back into him. His hands continued rubbing her body. Soothing her back to sleep. Horatio silently thanked God for having such a stubborn brother-in-law or Horatio would have never found happiness again.

But here he was. His biggest dream about to come true and with a woman he loved and that loved him back just the way he was.

Life was perfect.

 _ **The End**_


End file.
